Richard Nixon sought 'personal relationship' with Frank Sinatra

Despite the singer being close to the Mob and Democrats the former Republican president planned to establish "a personal relationship" with Sinatra.

Nixon's initiative, however, was blocked by the then attorney general John Mitchell because Sinatra had long been alleged to have personal and professional links with organised crime, including prominent figures such as Lucky Luciano.

The singer had been under watch by the FBI since the late 1940s. He was never prosecuted and documents released after his death revealed that he had been the target of death threats and extortion schemes.